


The First Storm and After

by Argyle



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-24
Updated: 2011-07-24
Packaged: 2017-10-21 17:33:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/227785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Argyle/pseuds/Argyle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are certain truths in this world. When Charles pulls Erik from the water, he confirms them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Storm and After

Erik accepts certain truths in this world: the end justifies the means; power has more value than care; and the motivations of man cannot be trusted.

Except for one's own. Erik has honed his mind and sharpened his body to the point of becoming nothing if not intent made flesh. And when this isn't enough (it's never enough, not really, a fact made all too clear tonight as he allowed Shaw to slip through his fingers), he will give it _more_.

He'll do whatever it takes.

Which is why he gives this Charles Xavier even a minute of his time.

Charles has great strength. After he clutched Erik in the water, ransacked Erik's rage-flayed mind, Erik recognizes that much. Oh, he senses Charles' compassion, and beneath that, his pity. And he thinks Charles may be naive enough to expose his weakness and let himself be tapped.

And Charles has information. Access to government files. And damn him, an interest in Erik, a wish to discover commonality as a mutant (Charles' word: freak has always sufficed for Erik). As though Erik is something that can be simply _kept_ , as though there's anything other than Shaw's destruction that could bring him comfort.

So they sit together in Charles' cabin, and Erik allows himself to be talked into flying to Virginia in the morning. Charles is beaming, flushed and excited.

And Erik senses Charles' pulse against the old gold of his watchband, warm, ever quickening.

This, Erik knows, is something he can use.


End file.
